Convos vs SchildiChat
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Convos | SchildiChat |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Artistic-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,191 | ★ 464 |
| First released | 2012 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Slack, IRCCloud | Slack, WhatsApp |
What are Convos and SchildiChat?
Convos
Convos is a self-hosted, always-online IRC client with a web interface that keeps you connected and logs conversations while you are away. It supports multiple networks and notifications.
- Always-online IRC
- Web interface
- Multi-network support
- Conversation logging
SchildiChat
SchildiChat is a fork of Element that adds a unified message bubble layout and other usability improvements. The web version can be self-hosted to connect to any Matrix homeserver.
- Message bubble layout
- Element compatibility
- End-to-end encryption
- Unified chat list
Convos vs SchildiChat: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: SchildiChat's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Convos is actively maintained. Convos is written in Perl, while SchildiChat is built with Shell. Licensing differs — Artistic-2.0 for Convos versus AGPL-3.0 for SchildiChat. SchildiChat is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Convos. Convos is the more established project (first released 2012), while SchildiChat arrived in 2020. Convos has the considerably larger community, at 1,191 GitHub stars versus 464.
Why pick each one
Choose Convos if…
- Stays connected for you
- Simple to deploy
Watch out for
- IRC only
- No voice or video
Choose SchildiChat if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Shell
Watch out for
- Tracks Element upstream
- Matrix-only
Frequently asked questions
Is Convos or SchildiChat better?
Neither is universally better. Convos has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Convos and SchildiChat free and open-source?
Yes. Convos is licensed under Artistic-2.0 and SchildiChat under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Convos and SchildiChat with Docker?
Convos: yes. SchildiChat: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Convos or SchildiChat?
SchildiChat has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Convos. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.